Late last month, Google released a new app called Spaces. It was created with the aim to allow users to engage in group chats with a certain topic. Spaces does not differ much from other messaging applications except it aims to allows users to find topics which they want to discuss more easily. All that users need to do is find things to talk about and add those topics to their “spaces,” and then add people to the conversation to talk about the chosen topics. Since then, Google has released an app for Android and iOS, plus an extension for the Chrome web browser. While Spaces hasn’t gained the popularity (at least not yet) needed to put it in the limelight, Google seems serious about this application and has recently put up a Google+ post looking to recruit members to beta test new features on Spaces.
The post, put up by Luke Wroblewski, who is one of Google’s Product Director, is looking for users to join the “Spaces Trusted Members” which is basically a feedback program. According to the post, users who join the program, will be invited to exclusive studies to provide early feedback on unreleased ideas and concepts which Google might want to implement into Spaces. Also, feedback from members on usage and needs in Spaces will be prioritized. Members of the “Spaces Trusted Members” program, will be expected to answer short survey questions which will be sent to members e-mail’s, which will then be able to provide Google a more precise understanding of what a user needs in Spaces.
A little bit on what makes Spaces stand out from the many group chat apps which are available at the moment, is that Spaces will provide communities with a ‘space’ which can be used to share articles, videos and images with a group chat without leaving. Google has even included the ability to use Google Search, YouTube, and Chrome functions from within the app and website. For example, some people might find it troublesome to go to an app such as YouTube to copy the link of a video just to share it on group chat from the YouTube app, but now with Spaces, one does not need to do so, as everything can be done from within Spaces itself. Spaces users who are interested in the program may sign up through the aforementioned Google+ post (source link down below).